US Cremonese facts for kids
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| Full name | Unione Sportiva Cremonese S.p.A. | |||
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| Nickname(s) | La Cremo I Grigiorossi (The Gray and Reds) Le Tigri (The Tigers) I Violini (The Violins) |
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| Founded | 24 March 1903 | |||
| Ground | Stadio Giovanni Zini | |||
| Capacity | 20,641 | |||
| Owner | Giovanni Arvedi | |||
| President | Paolo Rossi | |||
| Head coach | Davide Nicola | |||
| League | Serie B | |||
| 2018–19 | Serie B, 9th of 19 | |||
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Unione Sportiva Cremonese, often called Cremonese, is a professional football club from Cremona, Italy. They play in Serie A, which is the top football league in Italy. They were promoted to Serie A after a great season in Serie B during 2024-25, winning their playoff matches.
History of Cremonese Football
Early Years and Club Colors
Cremonese was started on March 24, 1903. The club wanted to teach physical education, good sportsmanship, and teamwork. They named the club Unione Sportiva Cremonese.
In 1913, the club joined the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). They also held their first "Città di Cremona" Tournament. This was a big step for football in Cremona. The next year, Cremonese won the Lombardy Championship. This win helped them get promoted to the First Division in 1914. Their first home ground was on Via San Rocco. The team's first colors were white and lilac.
On September 20, 1914, Cremonese made a big change. They adopted their famous gray and red colors, known as grigiorossi. This became a key part of their team identity.
Challenges and New Beginnings
After World War I, Cremonese lost their original playing field. But they didn't give up! They built a new home called Campo Cremonese. It opened on November 2, 1919, with a match against Juventus. In 1925, the stadium was renamed Giovanni Zini. This was to honor their first goalkeeper, who sadly died in the war.
The 1926 season was one of Cremonese's best. They were at the top of the league for a long time. They finished second to Juventus, which was their best league finish ever.
In 1928, the club celebrated its 25th anniversary. Emilio Faia, the first president, spoke about their journey. He said they fought hard to make football popular. They wanted to show that sports were important for everyone.
Entering Serie A and Tough Times
Cremonese first played in Serie A in 1929–30. This was their start in Italy's top football league. However, after this, they faced many tough years. The club struggled to stay in the top division. They spent many decades playing in lower leagues.
After World War II, Cremonese faced big problems. But the club showed great strength. The stadium was again named after Giovanni Zini. In 1951, the club almost went out of business. They had money troubles in the Serie C Championship. But the team fought hard and won a crucial game 2-0. This victory saved their season and kept the club going. It showed their amazing determination.
Rising Again in the 1970s and 80s
By 1967, Cremonese was back in Serie C. They started to get stronger with new leaders. Many talented local players joined the team. One of them was Emiliano Mondonico, who scored many goals.
The 1970s brought a new era for Cremonese. They got promoted to Serie C and began climbing higher. During this time, they found a future star, Antonio Cabrini. He became a very famous player. They also signed Aristide Guarneri, who had already won the World Cup with Inter Milan. He brought lots of experience to the team.
After 26 years, Cremonese returned to Serie B in 1977. This was a huge achievement! The team played very well, scoring 42 goals and letting in only 18. Nicolini was their top scorer, helping them get promoted.
The 1980s were full of exciting moments. On May 10, 1981, Gianluca Vialli played his first game for the team. He went on to have a brilliant career. In 1984, Cremonese made history. For the first time in 54 years, they were promoted to Serie A! They achieved this after a thrilling 3-3 draw. This moment ended many years of struggle.
In 1989, Cremonese returned to Serie A again. It was a very dramatic promotion. The game went to a penalty shootout. Michelangelo Rampulla saved a penalty, and Attila Lombardo scored the winning one. This sent Cremonese back to Serie A after 18 years.
Success in the 1990s and Recent Years
Cremonese had a great run in the 1992–93 Anglo-Italian Cup. They beat Bari 4–1 in the semi-final. Then, they won the final 3–1 against Derby County at Wembley Stadium. Their goals were scored by Corrado Verdelli, Riccardo Maspero, and Andrea Tentoni.
Under coach Luigi Simoni, Cremonese returned to Serie A for the 1993–94 season. They had strong players like Luigi Gualco and Corrado Verdelli. They finished 10th in 1993–94, which was a good result. However, they were relegated in the 1995–96 season.
After this, the club went through a tough period. They dropped down to Serie C2 by 2000. But they fought back! They earned two promotions and returned to Serie B by 2005. Giovanni Dall'Igna, a former defender, came back to the club. However, Cremonese was relegated to Serie C1 in 2005–06.
Cremonese kept trying to get back to Serie B. They almost made it in 2009–10 but lost in the play-off final. Finally, they succeeded in 2017. In the 2021–22 Serie B season, Cremonese finished second. This earned them promotion to Serie A.
In 2025, Cremonese was promoted to the top flight again. This happened after two seasons in Serie B. They won the playoff final against Spezia with a 3-2 total score.
Players
Current squad
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Players on Loan
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Other Players Under Contract
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Famous Former Players
Some well-known players who have played for Cremonese include:
Coaching Staff
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach |  Giovanni Stroppa |
| Assistant coach | Andrea Guerra |
| Technical coach | Giuseppe Brescia |
| Fitness coach | Fabio Allevi Andrea Primitivi Giovanni Saffioti |
| Rehab coach | Cristian Freghieri |
| Goalkeeper coach | Nicola Dibitonto Andrea Sardini |
| Match analyst | Vittorio Vona |
| Head of medical staff | Dott. Diego Giuliani |
| Club doctor | Dott. Alberto Gheza Dott. Francesco Toscani |
| Physiotherapist | Carlo Bentivoglio Lorenzo Franchi Davide Mazzoleni Gian Paolo Fagni |
| Nutritionist | Enrico Macciantelli |
| Team Manager | Federico Dall’Asta |
| Sporting director | Simone Giacchetta |
Club Achievements
| Type | Competition | Titles | Seasons/Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic | Serie C | 3 | 1935–36 (Girone B), 1941–42 (Girone B), 1976–77 (Girone A) |
| Serie C1 | 1 | 2004–05 (Girone A) | |
| Serie D | 1953–54 (Girone C), 1970-71 (Girone B), 1967–68 (Girone B) | ||
| Worldwide | Anglo-Italian Cup | 1992–93 |
See also
In Spanish: Unione Sportiva Cremonese para niños
